The project examined a common, but poorly understood, problem associated with land development, namely the modifications made to soil structure and the associated reduced rainfall infiltration and increased runoff. The project was divided into two separate major tasks: (1) to test infiltration rates of impacted soils, and (2) the enhancement of soils' natural ability and to prevent runoff by amending with compost. The first part of this project examined this problem by conducting more than 150 infiltration rates through sandy soils, while compaction was generally just as important as soil moisture at sites with predominately clay soils. Moisture levels had little effect on infiltration rates at sandy sites. The other series of tests examined the benefits of adding large amount of compost to a glacial till soil at the time of development. Compost-amended soils were found to have significantly increased infiltration rates, but increased concentrations of nutrients in the surface runoff.

Project officer: Thomas P. O'Conner. "March 30, 1999." Includes bibliographical references (p. 6-1).